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Jon Witman
Jon Witman
Jon Witman
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Jon Doyle Witman (born June 1, 1972) is an American former professional football player. He played college football at Penn State and was a Pittsburgh Steelers fullback for six seasons (1996–2001).

Key Information

Early life

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Witman was born in 1972 to young parents (then 21 and 17)[1] and was raised in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania,[2] a small borough along the Susquehanna River, east of York in the south central part of the state. He played football at Eastern York High School in Wrightsville,[3] where he led the team in back-to-back titles.[4] From there Witman moved to Penn State and was a member of its 1994 undefeated Rose Bowl-winning Nittany Lions football team, pairing with Brian Milne at the fullback position.[1][2][5]

Pittsburgh Steelers

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In 1996, Witman was the 92nd draft pick,[6] in the third round by the Pittsburgh Steelers,[2][7] with whom he started 43 games until his retirement in 2001.[8] He had not been available for any combines, due to a hamstring injury.[9] In his rookie year with the Steelers, Witman earned the team's "Joe Greene Great Performance Award".[10][11] He got hurt five games into the 2000 season and Dan Kreider took the fullback position for the remaining 10 games. Witman returned for the 2001 season and his last game was the Steelers' January 2002 AFC Championship loss to the New England Patriots.[10][12]

Struggles

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Witman lost over $1 million in the 2008 financial crisis and as of late 2016, he was going through chapter 13 bankruptcy. Continuing pain from back and ankle fusion surgeries kept him from daily work and he gave his landscaping business to his brother.[13] Witman became addicted to opioid medication[3] and had two DUI crashes in 2016, both for which he was sentenced in 2017.[14] Faced with severe depression, he considered suicide in 2014 but his wife found help through the National Football League Players Association.[13] After months in detox, rehab, and a halfway house, and more rehab after some relapses, in March 2018 he was reported as having been clean and sober since November 2016.[3]

Personal life

[edit]

Witman's father, Keith, a Vietnam-Marine who worked for 30 years at York's Harley-Davidson plant, died of cancer in February 2018.[1] Witman has been partnered with his wife since 1990, the start of their junior year in high school. An initial date didn't go well two years earlier, but they got back together after it became evident he was still interested. One of their four sons,[3] Cole, played lacrosse at Eastern York High School as of 2017.[15] Cole transferred to York Catholic High School for his last two seasons before committing in 2019 to college lacrosse at the University of Tampa.[16] In 2020, he was named to the Sunshine State Conference spring honor roll,[17] and in 2021 was on the lacrosse team roster at York College of Pennsylvania.[18]

References

[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Jon Witman

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from Grokipedia
Jon Witman is an American former professional football fullback known for his tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the National Football League. A native of Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, he played college football at Penn State University, earning recognition as a versatile and hard-nosed player before entering the professional ranks. Drafted by the Steelers in the third round of the 1996 NFL Draft, Witman spent his entire six-season NFL career with Pittsburgh from 1996 to 2001, where he served primarily as a blocking fullback and special teams contributor, helping to pave the way for the team's running backs during a competitive era for the franchise. Witman's playing style emphasized physicality and reliability in short-yardage and goal-line situations, making him a dependable asset in the Steelers' offensive scheme under head coach Bill Cowher. Though not a prolific ball-carrier, his contributions to blocking and team play were valued in an era when fullbacks played a key role in NFL offenses. After retiring from professional football following the 2001 season, Witman stepped away from the public eye, with limited subsequent media presence compared to many former players.

Early life

Youth and high school

Jon Witman was born on June 1, 1972, in Wrightsville, Pennsylvania, where he was raised. He attended Eastern York High School in Wrightsville, graduating in 1991, and emerged as a standout football player for the Golden Knights. During his career, Witman rushed for 3,300 yards and earned all-state honors while leading Eastern York to back-to-back YCIAA championships, sharing the title in 1989 and capturing it outright in 1990. He also guided the team to its first District 3 playoff berth.

College career

Penn State Nittany Lions

Jon Witman played fullback for the Penn State Nittany Lions, contributing to one of the program's most successful eras in the mid-1990s. He was a member of the 1994 team that completed an undefeated 12-0 season and won the Rose Bowl against Oregon. Witman often formed a blocking tandem with teammate Brian Milne, helping open lanes for the running game during that championship run. Following the departure of key offensive players after 1994, Witman took on a more prominent role as a runner in 1995. He rushed for nine touchdowns that season, showcasing his ability as a featured ball-carrier in addition to his blocking duties. Witman concluded his college career at Penn State before being selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1996 NFL draft.

Professional football career

NFL draft and Pittsburgh Steelers tenure

Jon Witman was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third round, 92nd overall, of the 1996 NFL Draft. He joined the team as a fullback out of Penn State and spent his entire six-year NFL career in Pittsburgh from 1996 to 2001, appearing in 85 regular season games while starting 43. Witman contributed primarily as a blocker and occasional ball carrier during his tenure, earning a consistent role in the Steelers' offense. In 2000, he suffered a season-ending injury (broken right fibula) in mid-October against the Cincinnati Bengals on October 15, limiting him to six games (five starts) before being placed on injured reserve on October 17. Rookie Dan Kreider replaced him as the starting fullback for the remainder of the season. Witman returned to form in 2001, starting 12 of 15 regular season games as the team achieved a 13-3 record. His final appearance came during the Steelers' playoff run, culminating in the AFC Championship Game on January 27, 2002, where Pittsburgh lost to the New England Patriots. His last NFL season was 2001.

Playing statistics and achievements

Jon Witman accumulated 129 rushing yards on 37 carries for a 3.5 yards per attempt average during his NFL career. He also recorded 39 receptions for 263 receiving yards. In 1996, during his rookie season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Witman received the Joe Greene Great Performance Award, which is presented annually to the team's top rookie performer. The award recognizes outstanding contributions by a first-year player, and Witman was selected for his initial impact as a fullback.

Post-NFL life

Business and financial challenges

After retiring from the NFL, Jon Witman faced significant business and financial difficulties. He operated a landscaping company but later transferred it to his brother, as ongoing health issues prevented him from managing it on a daily basis. Witman lost more than $1 million in the 2008 stock market crash, exacerbating his financial strain. He entered Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings, which were ongoing as of late 2016.

Health struggles and addiction

After retiring from the NFL in 2001, Jon Witman dealt with persistent chronic pain from back and ankle fusion surgeries that severely limited his physical capabilities and prevented him from working consistently. He underwent a triple back fusion in 2004 due to degenerative issues exacerbated by years of playing, including disc damage in his lower back that left him without fluid between the vertebrae and unrelieved pain despite the procedure. The ongoing pain in his back and ankle contributed to his inability to perform daily labor, prompting him to hand over his landscaping business to his brother. Witman developed an addiction to opioid painkillers that were prescribed to manage this chronic pain, with the dependency arising solely from his back injury and post-surgical discomfort. The addiction escalated over time as he was prescribed medications including Percocet, oxycodone, Vicodin, OxyContin, methadone, and Ketamine, eventually leading to snorting the drugs and extremely high doses such as 900 methadone tablets per month in some periods. By the mid-2010s he had become heavily dependent, with his wife noting that the addiction had progressed over years and transformed his personality amid deepening depression. Around 2014, Witman grappled with severe depression and suicidal thoughts amid his financial distress and addiction, reaching a point where he held a shotgun to his head on multiple occasions though he did not follow through. In 2016, he was involved in two DUI incidents while impaired by prescription medications rather than alcohol. On February 4, 2016, his vehicle struck a guard rail after he was found with morphine and the muscle relaxant carisoprodol in his system. On September 10, 2016, he crashed his truck into a tree after running a stop sign, with his wife reporting possible methadone use and police observing slurred speech and failed sobriety tests.

Recovery and later years

Sobriety and support programs

Jon Witman received support from the NFL's Gene Upshaw Players Assistance Trust and the NFL Players Association programs, which provided financial assistance by paying his household bills during treatment and connected him with crisis intervention resources, therapists, and ongoing case management through the Professional Athletes Foundation. The NFLPA also facilitated coverage for his initial extended treatment stay. In January 2015, Witman entered treatment at Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches in Florida, where he spent approximately 32 days in detox followed by additional time in rehab, totaling about 2.5 months at the facility before transitioning to a halfway house in Pensacola for roughly two months. After relapses, he pursued further rehabilitation, including a stint in Indiana in April 2015 and another at the Eisenhower Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, in September 2016, where he was weaned from opioids using Suboxone. As reported in March 2018, Witman had remained clean and sober since November 2016, a period confirmed by random drug testing following legal issues. He described himself as being in a significantly better place with no shame attached to his recovery journey.

Personal life

Family and relationships

Jon Witman is married to Michelle Witman. They began their relationship during his junior year of high school in 1990. The couple has four sons. Their son Cole Witman played lacrosse at the high school level for Eastern York and York Catholic before continuing his career at the collegiate level with the University of Tampa and York College of Pennsylvania.

Television appearances

NFL broadcasts and specials

Jon Witman appeared as himself in various NFL-related television broadcasts and specials, primarily during and shortly after his playing career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. These appearances were as an athlete and team member, rather than in acting or production roles. He received credits for 14 episodes of The NFL on CBS from 1998 to 2002, 5 episodes of NFL Monday Night Football from 1996 to 2001, 5 episodes of The NFL on NBC from 1996 to 1997, 2 episodes of NFL on FOX from 1999 to 2001, and 3 episodes of ESPN's Sunday Night Football from 1999 to 2001, typically identified as a Pittsburgh Steelers fullback or running back. Witman also featured in several prominent event specials, including the 2001 AFC Championship Game (aired in 2002) and the 1997 AFC Championship Game (aired in 1998), both as a Pittsburgh Steelers fullback. He appeared in the 1996 NFL Draft as the 92nd overall pick by the Steelers, and in the 1995 Rose Bowl broadcast.

References

  1. https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/W/WitmJo00.htm
  2. https://www.ydr.com/story/news/local/2015/12/19/programs-provide-lifelines-ex-nfl-players/77621618/
  3. https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2017/08/01/big-losses-highlight-eastern-yorks-offseason/502164001/
  4. https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2018/03/penn_state_jon_witman.html
  5. https://steelersdepot.com/2024/04/former-steelers-fb-jon-witman-discusses-overcoming-pain-killer-addiction/
  6. https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/jon-witman-1.html
  7. https://www.steelers.com/draft/all-time-picks
  8. https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-oct-18-sp-38276-story.html
  9. https://www.nytimes.com/2001/07/21/sports/plus-pro-football-steelers-kreider-set-back-by-injury.html
  10. https://lancasteronline.com/sports/local_sports/lnp-sports-365-dan-kreider-broke-lancasters-nfl-drought-in-2000/article_54e41878-46d6-11e5-bfc2-cfcffe5a3202.html
  11. https://www.steelers.com/history/joe-greene-award/
  12. https://www.steelers.com/news/porter-peterson-win-team-awards
  13. https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nfl/2015/12/16/nflpa-union-lifeline-ex-players-suicide-mental-health-programs-jon-witman-gerald-mcrath/77439260/
  14. https://steelerstakeaways.com/exclusive-with-steelers-fullback-jon-witman-1996-2001/
  15. https://www.pennlive.com/pennstatefootball/2018/03/penn_state_jon_witman_steelers.html
  16. https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/news/2016/10/04/pittsburgh-steelers-witman-dui-police/91564544/
  17. https://ycpspartans.com/sports/mens-lacrosse/roster/cole-witman/14340
  18. https://www.tampaspartans.com/sports/mlax/2019-20/bios/witman_cole_wllp
  19. https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/sports/high-school/boys-lacrosse/2017/10/30/eastern-york-standout-cole-witman-verbally-commits-play-lacrosse-johns-hopkins/815619001/
  20. https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3086566/
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